Filling-head



G. J. HUNTLEY.

FILLING HEAD.

APPLICATION man JULY 20, 1911.

1,371,244. Patented Mai. 15,1921.

passage are completely closed by the valve (UNI-TED. STATESTPATENT, .osrics.

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TION OI MARYLAND.

lpeciflcation of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar.'.15, 1921.

Application flledjnly 20, 1917. Serial No. 181,878.

7 '0 all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, Gnome J. Hummer, a citizen of the United States, residin at Baltimore city, and State of Ma land, ave invented certain new. and usefu Improvements in Filling-Heads, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same. 0

This invention relates to improvements 1n filling heads for liquid packaging machines.

In bottle filling machines of the type in which the fillin head reciprocates to and from the bottle, t e part making contact wlth the bottle is ordinarily of some resilient material, so as to avoidwbreaking the bottle and to provide at the same time an eflective seal between the bottle and. the filling head. Furthermore, in such devices, it is considered desirable, in order to avoid the dripping of the liquid being packaged,-and for other reasons, to have avalve such that the liquid admission passage and the air exit when the head is raised away from the bottle. It has been found, however, that when" the pressure of the head on the resilient sealing member/is removed 'on the upstroke of the head, the return of this resilient sealing member to its a normal uncompressed condition causes in the bottle a suction of such strength that often times a bottle will be raised up by the movement of the head unless p'revented by brakes or similar mechanism.

It is one of the objects ofthis invention to provide a fillinghead that eliminates this raising of bottles and at the same time to attain this end by means of a simple, inexpensive construction Which-avoids the use of brakes acting on the bottles and other similar devices.

In a filling head of the type mentioned, namely, one in which a seal is effected be tween the head and the receptacle, provision is ordinarily made for the esca e of air expelled by the inflowmg liqui by an air exit passage which communicates with a port or ports in a memberentering the receptacle, as, for example, the valve itself. As soon, therefore, as the level of liquid in the receptacle rises high enou h to cut ofi A filling port carrying receptacle, 1t

position of the valve or other member with respect to the follows .that the level of liquid depends upon the extent to which thevalve or other member penetrates into the receptacle.

It 1s a further object of the present invention to provide means for fixing the position of the air-exit port or orts with respect to the rece tacle being filled, by fixing the extent 0 penetration into the receptacle of the valve or other port carrying member, thereby determining the liquid level.

Thefollowing specification describes and the accompanying drawing illustrates preferred embodiments of this invention, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the invention.

In the drawing- Figure 1 is a vertical cross sectional view of a filling head constructed in accordance with this invention, showing the head removed from the receptacle tobe filled, with the valve closed.

Fig. 2 is a similar view, the section being taken at ri ht angles to the section of Fig. 1, showing t e head in filling. position with valve open.

Fig. 3 is a similar view taken on the same section as Fig. 2, showing the parts at the start of the up stroke of the head.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 44 of F ig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a detai view showing in plan a portion of the sealing gasket.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the same, and

Fig. 7 is a view (reduced) in side elevation (with parts in section) showing a modification of the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

head constructed in accordance with this invention includes a passage for directing the liquid to be packaged from a reservoir to the bottle'or other receptacle; means for permitting the esca of the air expelled during filling; a va ve.for cutting off the liquid and air passa es while the head is still in contact with t e bottle; and means for bringing head and bottle together and separating the same. While the construction and arrangement of these features may vary, in the embodiment of the invention shown, the liquid asses out from the reservoir 8 through a va ve tube 9 slidaibly mounted in a stuffing box 10 attached to the bottom of the reservoir. This valve tube extends well into the reservoir and has near its u per end ports 11 for admitti the liqui contained in the reservoir. elesco mg within the valve tube at its lower emi: and communicatin therewith, is a tubular valve cage 12, t e lower and valve embracing portion of which is slightly constricted and terminates in an outwardlyfiaring flange 13 which serves as a seat for a valve 14. This valve has, at its bottle-entering end, an im erforate conical head 15, the base of which 18 slightly greater in diameter than the ad'oining ortion and the shoulder 16 thereby ormed s opes downwardly to form a seating surface c0r'respondmg tothe valve seat above mentioned. The valve at the u per end has a cylindrical stem 17 which is t readed on its interior to eng thethreaded end of an air exit tube 18 w ich passes up through the valve tube 9 to a point above the liquid in the reservoir and which operates the valve as hereinafter appears. The internal passage 19 formed b .the cylindrical stem of the valve and whic communicates with the air exit tube extends down almost to the imperforate head where it communicates with two diametrically opposed air-exit ports 20 formed in the side of the valve. For passage of the liquid into the bottle, when the valve is opened, the side of the valve, at points substantially' 90 removed from the air-exit ports, is formed with two recesses 21 terminating at a point above the valve head and open at the top. It will be seen that, due to the construction described, when the valve head is moved away from its seat, liquid flowing through the tube and cage enters the bottle 100 by way of the passages 21 formed between the valve and cage, while the expelled air goes out by way of the ports 20 up through the interior passage 19 of the valve stem to the air-exit tube 18. When, however, the valve is seated, both liquidadmission passages and air-exit ports are cut oil and the valve cage is completely closed at the bottle end.

The filling head is lowered and raised by means of a lever 22 oscillated by any suitable mechanism. This lever is pivoted to a yoke 23 which is connected by two links 24 with two pins-25 formed on a ring 26 which is fixedly mounted on the valvetube 9 so that the latter is reci rocated by the oscillation of the lever. T e valve-carrying, air-exit tube is connected with the valve tube, as shown at :27, so that valve tube, air tube and valve all have the sam movement. Movement of the valve 0 is effected as follows: Backed by the ring 26 is a coil-spring 28, the other end of which seats on a flangelike shoulder 29 formed on the valve cage. This spring is under slight initial compression. The cage is held up by the valve, but

when the valve moves downward, the cage is free to follow, and does, in fact, move down with the valve under the influence of the spring, gravity, and the friction of its contact with the moving tube, until stopped, as hereinafter described. When, however, the valve moves upward, its contact with the bottom of the cage causes the latter to move upward also. Although the cage stops, as just mentioned, at a certain point in the down stroke of the head, the valve to be opened, must continue downward away from its seat. Means is rovided for giving the valve a fixed stro e with respect to the valve cage. In the embodiment of the invention shown this is accomplished as follows: After the valve cage stops, the valve tube, which governs the movement of the valve, continues downward, telescoping over the now stationary cage until the bottom oi: the tube strikes the shoulder 29 on the cage and this acts as a stop to limit the movement of valve tube and valve, and so the valve is given a fixed movement after the cage stops.

The inventlon includes means for eifectmg a seal between the filling head and the bottle durin the filling o eration, and for silientmember making contact under pressure with the rim of the bottle, so as to make a tight seal during filling, but at thesame time having provision for venting the bottle upon withdrawal of the head and before the head is moved sufiiciently-to cause the bottle to be raised. For example, this maybe a rubber gasket having a assage providing communication between t e bottle and the outside atmosphere, which passage is closed by compression of the gasket during filling, and opened,'up0n removal of the pressure, by inherent resiliency of the gasket. While the construction of such sealing and venting means may be varied, in the construction illustrated, it consists of a two-part resilient gasket 30 carried by the lower end of the valve ca e and consisting of two rubber rings. he upper ring 31 is made to fit the valve cage snugly and is provided on its lower face with a plurality of equally spaced radial ribs 32, and on its upper face with corresponding grooves 33. e lower ring 34, which makes contact with the bottle, has flat faces and the diameter-of its central opening is somewhat larger than the diameter of the valve cage, so that there ispro- .videdan air passage 35 between ring and cage. This loose fitting portion of the gas- 'The gasket 30 carries a vali e cage guard flange 13 of the valve ca which consists of a flat annular member 36 which rests on the top pf the upper ring 31' and has a depending cylindrical skirt 37 surrounding the gasket, but leaving a space be-- tween the two, and extending down far enough to surround. the top of the oottle neck during filling, as shownin Eig. 2.

When the gasket is in its normal uncompressed state there is an air passage. up between the valve cage and lower ring 34' and out between the two rings, via passages 38 between the ribs 32, to the atmosphere. When, however, the lowering of the head compresses the gasket (as hereinafter described) these ribs 32 are flattened out, thus closing or eliminating the air passages 38, so that the gasket effects a seal between the bottle and the valve cage.

As before stated, the invention includes means for fixing the extent of penetration into the bottle, of the member carrying the air-exit ports, this member being the valve -in the present embodiment. In constructions embodying the invention most advantageously, this is accomplished by glving the valve a fixed stroke with respect to the valve cage and fixin the position, on the cage, of the sealing gas et, the contact of which with the bottle stops the cage. This may be done in various ways, as, for example, by provid-. ing for the gasket 2. stop the position of which may be fixed with respectto the cage. While this may be accomplished by a variety of constructions, the drawing illustrates two exem lifications.

Re erring to Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, the valve stem, just below the shoulder- 29, is

' screw-threaded to receive a correspondingly threaded adjusting nut 39 which has a downwardly extending cylindrical stop-portion 40, the bottom of which engages the valve cage guard 37 carried by the gasket. When the gasket engages the bottle rim and is forced against the stop member 40, the valve cage can descend no farther. Since the valve has a fixed stroke after the cage stops, the extent of the valve penetration into the bottle depends on the point where the cage stops and this, in turn, depends on the givenposition of the gasket, governed by the stop. To change the extent of penetration of the and illustrated in connection with a bottle, down on the cage, so that the gasket will be stopped in a different position with respect to the cage. For example, if the adjusting nut is moved upward on the cage from the position illustrated, and the gasket is pushed up to it (or allowed to be pushed up by contact with the first bottle filled) the cage will 'make a greater descent before the gasket valves penetration is fixed by adjustment of i the stop-forming member-40.

The invention includes meansfor covering substantially the entire head and at the same time providing means for manipulating the ad usting nut. While this may be attained by numerous constructions, in the embodiment illustrated, a cover or guard i rovided in the form of a large cylindrica mclosure 41 surrounding the filling head.- To secure this cover in place and at the same time to have it. rotatable, it is provided at the top with an inturned flange 42 which is held between the ring 26 and the spring'28/ The cover is of such length as to overlap the,valve cage guard 37 so that the head is "substantially inclosed by these two members. To operate the adjusting nut the cover 41 is provided with a pluralityof integrally stamped key-ways 43 which fit over ribs 44 formed in the side of the adjusting. nut, so that rotation of the cover 41 turns the nut to fix the position of stop portion thereof with respect to the cage.

To look the cover in non-rotatable position, it is provided with one or more radial ribs 45 formed on the top flange 42 which fit corresponding grooves in the bottom of the ring 26. When thehead is in filling position, the spring 28 is under such compression that the operating cover 41 is pressed firmly up against the ring 26 and the engagement of the ribs with the grooves prevents any alteration in the adjustment of the nut 39 during a given filling operation.

Referring to the second construction illustrated, that shown in Fig. 7, just belowthe cage shoulder 29, there is fixedly mounted on the valve cage, an annular member 46 havmined and thus the extent of valve penetration is fixed. When it is desired to provide a greater or less valve penetration a stop-forming skirt of less or. greater length is substituted.

To recapitulate, the operation of the device, Fig. 1 shows the neck of a bottle 100 which has. been placed in proper position by any suitable means beneath the head and in alinement with the valve cage.., Assumiiig that the lever 22 is suitably oscillated, the valve tube, air-exit tube and valve descend together, the valve cage accompanying them, as before described, until the gasket engages the bottle rim. At this point'the valve cage has entered the bottle but the valve is st1ll closed. As the cage-carried, stop forming member 40 (or 47 engages the gasket-carried, guard 37, the cage stops. The valve tube and'valve, however, continue downward until the bJttom of the tube is stop ed by the shoulder 29, thus giving the va ve its fixed stroke relative to the cage, and this movement of the valve displaces it from its seat to open the liquid admission passages.

13 and air exit ports 20. The movement of the tube subsequent to the stopping of the cage compresses the spring 28 against the ca e shoulder 29, which causes the gasket to%ie tightly pressed against the bottlerim, thus flattening out the ribs 32 on the upper ring. Consequently a seal is efiected between valve cage and bottle at the time the valve.

g pint the parts are in the valve cage, the gasket is released from pressure and its inherent resiliency causes it to return to normal condition, thus opening the passages between the ribs and forming an air vent for the bottle while the lower ring is still incontact therewith, as shown in Fig. 3. Further movement of the valve lifts the valve cage away from the bottle and the parts are again in the position shown in Fig. 1 ready to descend for the next bottle.

Should it be desired to change the liquid level at any time, the penetration of the valve is fixed by adjusting the osition of the nut 39 or substituting a di erent stop forming skirt 47, as before described.

Although the invention has been described and illustrated in connection with a bottle, it is to be understood that it is not restricted to use with any particular kind of receptacle.

What is claimed is Y 1. In a filling head movable with respect to the receptacle to be filled, a valve cage, a valve for closing the same, a two-part gasket comprising a resilient ring carried y the valve cage and tightly fitting the same, and a receptacle engaging resilient ring looselyembracing said valve cage, means for separating said rings-in their normal condition to provide an air passage therebetween, said rmgs being compressed against the receptacle upon movement of the head into filling sition thereby to close said passage and e set a seal between the receptacle and the valve cage.

2. In a filling head movable with respect to the receptacle to be filled, a valve cage,

a valve for closing the same, a two-part gasket comprising a resllient ring earned As soon as the' ing faces of said rings being substantially flat and the other irregular in its normal uncompressed condition.

3. In a filling head, a valve cage, a valve I fonclosing the same, a two part" resilient gasket, carried by the cage and having associated therewith an air venting passage and comprising a lower ring loose on the cage and an u per ring having a sealing fit on the cage, an means for causing said passage tobe closed when the filling head and the receptacle are'in filling relation. 7 In a.filling head movable with respect to the receptacle to be filled, a valve cage, a valve. for closing the same, a two part resilient gasket carried by the valve cage, one of which parts engages the rece tacle, means for separatin the parts 0 said gasket in their norma condition to provide an air passage therebetween, said gasket being compressed against the receptacle upon movement of the head into filling position thereby to close said passage and efi'ect a seal between the receptacle and the valve cage- 5. In a filling head'movable with respectto the receptacle to be filled, a valve cage, a valve for closing the same, a two part gasket comprising resilient rings carried by the valve cage, one of the opposing faces of sald rmgs being substantially flat and the other irregular in its normal uncompressed condition.

,6. In a filling head movable with respect to the receptacle to be filled, a valve cage, a valve for closing the same, a two part gasket comprising a pair of resilient rings carried by ,the valve cage, the receptacle engaging ring having associated therewith a passage between itself and the valve cage, means for separating the two rings in their normal condition to provide an air passage therebetween, said rmgs being compressed against the receptacle upon movement of the head into filling position thereby to close said air passage and effect a seal between the receptacle and the valve ca e.

7. In a filling head movable with respect to the receptacle to be filled, a valve cage, a valve for closing the same, a two part gasket comprising two resilient rings carried by the valve cage, 'the receptacle engaging rmg having associated therewith a passage between itself and the valve cage, one of the opposing faces of said rings being substantially fiat and the other irregular in its normal uncompressed condition.

8. In a filling head, a valve cage relatively mov ble with respect to the receptacle to be filled and inclosing a liquid admission and an air-exit passage, a valve having therein a port communicating with said air-exit passage, means whereby sard valve moves a a port communicating with sai filled and inclosing a liquid-admission and an air-exit passage, a valve havin therein air-exit passage, a gasket carried by the cage and movable thereon upon engagement with the receptacle for effecting a seal between the cage and receptacle, a member adjustable with respect to said cage for limiting the movement of the gasket, a separate cover for inclosing the head and rotatably carried thereby, and means whereby said adjustable member is adjusted by rotation of said cover.

10. In a filling head, a valve cage, a valve for closing the same, a two part gasket comprising a resilient ring carried by the valve cage and tightly fitting the same, and a receptacle engaging ring loosely embracing the valve cage, one of the o osing faces of said rings being substantiall y flat, and-the other having a plurality of ribs.

11. In a filling head, a valve cage, a valve for closing the same, a two part resilient gasket carried by the cage and having associated therewith an air venting passage, and comprising a lower ring loose on the cage and an upper ring havin a sealing fit on the cage, and a stop mem er against which said gasket is forced by engagement with the receptacle to be filled thereby to cause said air venting passage to be closed.

12. In a filling head, a valve cage relatively movable with respect to the receptacle to be filled and inclosing a liquid-admission and an air-exit passage, a valve having therein a port communicating with said airexit passage, a gasket carried by the cage and movable thereon upon engagement with the receptacle for efiecting a seal between the cage and the receptacle, a stop member in threaded relation with said cage for lim iting the movement of the gasket, a separate cover for inclosing the head and rotatably carried thereby, a plurality of key-ways formed on said cover, and a plurality of ribs'on said stop member for engagement by said key-ways, whereby rotation of the cover adjusts the position of said stop member.

13. In a filling head, a valve cage relatively movable w1th respect to the receptacle to be filled and inclosing a liquid-admission and an air-exit passage, a valve having therein a port vcommunicating with said air exit passage, a gasket carried by the cage and movable thereon upon engagement with the receptacle for efiecting a seal between the ca e and the receptacle, a stop member carrie by the cage and movable relatively thereto, means for moving saidstop member, and means for preventing operation of a said moving means while the parts are in filling osition. i

14. n a filling head, a valve cage relatively movable with respect to the receptacle to be filled and inclosing a liquid admission and an air exitwpassage, a valve having therein a port communicating with said air exit passage, a gasket carried by the cage andmovable thereon upon engagement with the receptacle for effecting a seal between the cage and the receptacle, a stop member in threaded relation with said cage for limiting the movement of the gasket, a separate cover for inclosing the head and rotatably carried thereby,- means whereby rotation of the cover moves the stop member on the cage, and means for preventing rotation of the cover while the parts are in filling position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set In hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE J. .H'UNTLEY. Witnesses H. M. SAITHE, M. J Bnowmr. 

